The crash of toppled chairs brought Valthyran's attention away from the report he had been writing. He stood and stepped through the door of his office at the Palace only to quickly retreat as something came flying past his head. Then he caught the unmistakable angry hum of several lightsaber blades and risked another glance out the door. He spotted the familiar form of the Shadow dropping into a defensive stance just as another sith lunged at her with venom hued twin sabers. His brow furrowed as he recognized the distinctive silver hair of the Shadow's opponent and stepped back into his office.
"Sith, why does it always have to be Sith?" He muttered to himself as he flipped on the Palace's security cameras and observed the confrontation from a much safer vantage point. The Commander had long ago learned that interfering between Sith was never a good idea.
"You're weak!" Kilishandra growled as she lunged forward again, seeking to break the solid defensive stance of her opponent.
"Oh really? Is that why you were unable to beat me on Korriban?" The Shadow's obsidian hued eyes focused on her half sister. "Stop being stupid Kili! You couldn't beat me then and you certainly are not going to beat me here."
She dropped lower, ducking instinctively as the Force warned her of the potted plant rising up and hurtling toward her under Kilishandra's control. Cursing in several languages, she shook her head and took another step back. Drawing on the tendrils of dark energy that ran rampant in the Palace of the Harbingers, Rasilvenaira launched a vicious wave of purple tinged lightning at the younger sith.
"You dare step foot somewhere that is a place of power for me and think to turn this into a Force duel? I thought you were smarter than that, Kilishandra."
The marauder growled again as she struggled to deflect the worst of the lightning with her sabers. Ice blue eyes burning with pure rage, she leapt forward seeking an opening in the Assassin's defense again. Rasilvenaira spun, twisting her lithe form to bring the full fury of her double bladed weapon down on the younger sith. Sparks flew as the blades met, angry hissing filling the air as each sought to force the other back.
Kilishandra lashed out with a Force driven kick at the Shadow's knee. The older woman twisted avoiding the brunt of the blow, but it put her off balance. Seizing the opening the Marauder pressed the attack, her off hand saber slipping through the gap. Rasilvenaira snarled as the searing pain lanced across her shoulder before she could move out of range. The Shadow rolled her shoulder, wincing, but determined the wound was not as serious as it could have been.
The two circled one another, eyes locked and weapons ready, each probing and searching for weakness, for that critical opening. Suddenly the Force nearly cracked around them both as an unmistakable presence appeared. Kilishandra turned her head just enough to see the dark clad form, and then cursed as she looked back just in time to see Rasilvenaira vanish, seemingly into thin air. She spat several curses and whirled around to face the cloaked figure.
"What? Come to try to keep me from killing your pet?" She growled.
The Emperor merely shrugged, face unreadable behind his ever present mask. "Your differences with my Shadow do not concern me. However, I would advise you to settle this matter, soon. If your actions begin to affect the stability of my Harbingers, I will end it. Even if it means ending both of you."
Kilishandra raised her chin haughtily, "We'll see about th..." Her words were cut off as the Emperor wove the Force to his will and it tightened around her throat.
"Do not think to threaten me. Challenge the Shadow if you dare, but keep your ambition in check or I will end you here and now."
He gave an almost casual flick of his wrist and she dropped to her knees gasping to catch her breath. As she looked back up at him, her icy eyes were filled with pure hatred, but she simply nodded realizing that here in his Palace she was at the disadvantage.
The Emperor turned his back on her and walked away, dismissing her without a word. Kilishandra seethed with fury but clipped her sabers back on her belt and left the Palace.
Hrisath shook his head as he turned his attention to the deep shadows in the corner of the room and waited. A moment later one shadow seemed to separate itself as Rasilvenaira stepped forward, offering a low bow.
He nodded, "Shadow, my patience is not infinite. Deal with her, before I do."
Rasilvenaira frowned and glanced back the way her sister had gone, but nodded, "Yes, my Lord Emperor."